
Campaigners at their encampment in Wilmington, Delaware are calling on President Joe Biden to declare a federal climate emergency and end fossil fuel projects across the United States. (Photo: @OccupyBiden/Twitter)
Near President's Delaware Home, Encampment Calls on Biden to 'Declare a Climate Emergency'
"When it's 'code red' you do things you've never done before," said one member of the group. "I and others here are doing that."
A small group of climate activists has established an encampment near President Joe Biden's private home in Delaware where they are demanding he declare a national climate emergency and immediately order the end to fossil fuel development in the United States.
Establishing the camp on Christmas Day and sleeping overnight in tents or cars on a roadside area not far from the family's Wilmington residence, the campaigners operating under the "Occupy Biden" banner say if the president truly recognizes that the world is in a "code red" situation when it comes to soaring global temperatures then he must act accordingly.
"The president has the power to declare a climate emergency, but has not done so," said Echo Alford, a local resident and member of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, in a statement Thursday. "The president knows that we are occupying land right outside his home, but he hasn't addressed us or our demands."
Earlier this week, some of the activists invoked the blockbuster film "Don't Look Up"--currently among the most viewed movies on Netflix and which satarizes humanity's inaction in the face of the climate threat--to argue that fictionalized version is not far from the what's really happening:
With Democrats in control of the House, Senate, and White House, added Alford, "they have the power to enact sweeping change to protect our earth and our futures, but they haven't. I stand in solidarity with this multigenerational working-class movement for environmental justice because this inaction by lawmakers is inexcusable."
With the Democrat's signature climate legislation contained in the Build Back Better Act now stalled in Congress, the activists say that grassroots pressure must be intensified to ensure the opportunity to take meaningful action is not lost.
Karen Igou, the small business owner and founder of Extinction Rebellion Delaware who is lead organizer of the encampment, said the stakes are too high for inaction to be accepted. "Our youth are scared, angry, and smart," Igou said. "They know we could do better and they demand that we do so now. If our government does not do all in their power to stop our climate emergency then, I believe, they are committing genocide on our grandchildren. The scientists have stated our dire situation. The [International Energy Agency] has stated it. And Build Back Fossil Free has a Biden Executive Blue Print that he could be following, but is not."
The group is planning a New Year's Day rally on Saturday to lift up their demands.
"I am here, all day and all night, from Christmas morning to New Year's Day, sleeping in a car, because of what our president said is a worldwide, 'code red' emergency situation," said Ted Glick, a veteran activist whose has written books on the climate crisis. "When it's 'code red' you do things you've never done before. I and others here are doing that. President Biden must too, using the powers he was elected to use."
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. The final deadline for our crucial Summer Campaign fundraising drive is just days away, and we’re falling short of our must-hit goal. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
A small group of climate activists has established an encampment near President Joe Biden's private home in Delaware where they are demanding he declare a national climate emergency and immediately order the end to fossil fuel development in the United States.
Establishing the camp on Christmas Day and sleeping overnight in tents or cars on a roadside area not far from the family's Wilmington residence, the campaigners operating under the "Occupy Biden" banner say if the president truly recognizes that the world is in a "code red" situation when it comes to soaring global temperatures then he must act accordingly.
"The president has the power to declare a climate emergency, but has not done so," said Echo Alford, a local resident and member of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, in a statement Thursday. "The president knows that we are occupying land right outside his home, but he hasn't addressed us or our demands."
Earlier this week, some of the activists invoked the blockbuster film "Don't Look Up"--currently among the most viewed movies on Netflix and which satarizes humanity's inaction in the face of the climate threat--to argue that fictionalized version is not far from the what's really happening:
With Democrats in control of the House, Senate, and White House, added Alford, "they have the power to enact sweeping change to protect our earth and our futures, but they haven't. I stand in solidarity with this multigenerational working-class movement for environmental justice because this inaction by lawmakers is inexcusable."
With the Democrat's signature climate legislation contained in the Build Back Better Act now stalled in Congress, the activists say that grassroots pressure must be intensified to ensure the opportunity to take meaningful action is not lost.
Karen Igou, the small business owner and founder of Extinction Rebellion Delaware who is lead organizer of the encampment, said the stakes are too high for inaction to be accepted. "Our youth are scared, angry, and smart," Igou said. "They know we could do better and they demand that we do so now. If our government does not do all in their power to stop our climate emergency then, I believe, they are committing genocide on our grandchildren. The scientists have stated our dire situation. The [International Energy Agency] has stated it. And Build Back Fossil Free has a Biden Executive Blue Print that he could be following, but is not."
The group is planning a New Year's Day rally on Saturday to lift up their demands.
"I am here, all day and all night, from Christmas morning to New Year's Day, sleeping in a car, because of what our president said is a worldwide, 'code red' emergency situation," said Ted Glick, a veteran activist whose has written books on the climate crisis. "When it's 'code red' you do things you've never done before. I and others here are doing that. President Biden must too, using the powers he was elected to use."
A small group of climate activists has established an encampment near President Joe Biden's private home in Delaware where they are demanding he declare a national climate emergency and immediately order the end to fossil fuel development in the United States.
Establishing the camp on Christmas Day and sleeping overnight in tents or cars on a roadside area not far from the family's Wilmington residence, the campaigners operating under the "Occupy Biden" banner say if the president truly recognizes that the world is in a "code red" situation when it comes to soaring global temperatures then he must act accordingly.
"The president has the power to declare a climate emergency, but has not done so," said Echo Alford, a local resident and member of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, in a statement Thursday. "The president knows that we are occupying land right outside his home, but he hasn't addressed us or our demands."
Earlier this week, some of the activists invoked the blockbuster film "Don't Look Up"--currently among the most viewed movies on Netflix and which satarizes humanity's inaction in the face of the climate threat--to argue that fictionalized version is not far from the what's really happening:
With Democrats in control of the House, Senate, and White House, added Alford, "they have the power to enact sweeping change to protect our earth and our futures, but they haven't. I stand in solidarity with this multigenerational working-class movement for environmental justice because this inaction by lawmakers is inexcusable."
With the Democrat's signature climate legislation contained in the Build Back Better Act now stalled in Congress, the activists say that grassroots pressure must be intensified to ensure the opportunity to take meaningful action is not lost.
Karen Igou, the small business owner and founder of Extinction Rebellion Delaware who is lead organizer of the encampment, said the stakes are too high for inaction to be accepted. "Our youth are scared, angry, and smart," Igou said. "They know we could do better and they demand that we do so now. If our government does not do all in their power to stop our climate emergency then, I believe, they are committing genocide on our grandchildren. The scientists have stated our dire situation. The [International Energy Agency] has stated it. And Build Back Fossil Free has a Biden Executive Blue Print that he could be following, but is not."
The group is planning a New Year's Day rally on Saturday to lift up their demands.
"I am here, all day and all night, from Christmas morning to New Year's Day, sleeping in a car, because of what our president said is a worldwide, 'code red' emergency situation," said Ted Glick, a veteran activist whose has written books on the climate crisis. "When it's 'code red' you do things you've never done before. I and others here are doing that. President Biden must too, using the powers he was elected to use."